Misunderstood
by Becky D Studio
Summary: "This is the tale of a misunderstood girl, an unconventional adventurer, a reluctant hero, a cursed soul, a strong willed woman and the most beautiful being I've ever known, except maybe Myself. This is the tale of my wife and your mother."   Gann
1. Chapter 1: The past always catches you

**Disclaimer: I am an artist, writer, Gamer and a single Mother. I DO NOT create or produce games. I AM NOT BIOWARE. All Characters but Hope and her kids are NOT mine.**

**Chapter 1: The past always catches you.**

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><p>It was a mild autumn afternoon as three men walked down the road that lead to the small village they had heard might hold the key to not only help solve a long time mystery but a long time pain for the three men. For twenty-five years, they had been on this quest, this mission, following the orders of their Lord. Searching for a sign, any sign, not wanting to give up the search and the hope of finding a sign or fail in the orders they had been given by their Lord, Commander'n'Chief and friend.<p>

After the final battle, a few bodies were found; her lovers, the gnome's, the sorceress' and the traitor's but not one of the bodies was HER's. The ruins of the Illfan temple were searched extensively with no luck. The rest of her companions – with the exception of the missing warlock and the identified dead– had made it out of the ruins before they had crumbled. They were alive, distraught and shaken by what they had just partaken in and witnessed but alive nonetheless. This is what had led to the Lord of Neverwinter issuing the order. To find a clue, a trace, any sign of HER, to find her deceased or living body, but to find her! So at least in a small part her keep and Neverwinter's citizens could mourn and or celebrate her. They would know one way or the other; know what fate imposed on their unconventional reluctant hero and Knight Captain.

When the road rounded a bend and showed the men the small village down in the valley, they all stopped and took in the sight of this quiet little hamlet hidden away in the mare, yet so close to Neverwinter. They saw a dozen or so farms being worked in, the bustling small town square that had a few shops and a humble chapel on the other side of the square. Being autumn and the time for harvest, there were towers of hay bales, overflowing crops (ready to be eaten or sold) and the smell of ripe mead and wine ready to be drunk.

For the three men, the sight of such a village, especially during this time of year brought bittersweet memories flooding back to them of HER keep and village of the same time. They slowed to a stop and completely took it all in; the human in the greycloak uniform was the first to speak. "Hmm … It looks just like West Harbor at this time of year, look…" He pointed to the town square where people were setting up stalls and what looked like different competitions. "It even looks like they may be setting up for some kind of festival." As he spoke, he turned to the wood elf.

"It does indeed; if the rumors are true then it does not surprise me, she always did love the village life and spirit especially around the harvest cup time." The wood elf replied.

The Greycloak sergeant sighed. "I suppose we should go down there and find the magistrate… I do hope we find something this time."

"This is the best lead we have had in years and we won't know till we start asking questions." The Neverwinter Nine Human said to the Greycloak sergeant.

The three men started down the hill into the town, noticing workers in the fields, children playing around their homes, people going about their business as usual. As they walked through the square, they did not notice the people were stopping to look at them to wonder why such important looking people were walking through their town. Surely, they would not be here just for the Harvest Festival.

They stopped at what seemed to be a young half elven woman, though by looking at her closely they were not sure what the other half of her heritage was, she had amethyst eyes and her whole being seemed to be tinted in hues of blue. She was looking over a list on a board in the center of the square and did not notice them until the Neverwinter Nine member spoke, and asked where they would be able to find the magistrate of the town.

She tuned and gave them a wide welcoming smile that reminded the three men of HER. "You'll be after mum then. If you come to the shop, I'll see if I can find her for ya."

As the men followed her to the small shop that sat next to the morning lord's chapel, she told them from over her shoulder that her name was Amie. Just as she turned back to the front, she could have sworn an odd look came over one of the human's faces. The men saw that the shop was a general store that seemed to sell everything from arms and armor to magical items, divine and arcane to farm crops and homemade wine and mead. The men followed her over the threshold and into the store to meet with an unusual sight for the sword coast. Behind the counter was what looked like a male Hag-spawn writing on a piece of parchment but he seemed far more handsome than they had been lead to believe by stories about such beings and a young man that could only be his son?

The sound of the bell that hung over the door alerted the young man behind the counter to customers and he looked up to see the four men taking in their odd surroundings. "How may I help you gentlemen? He asked.

"Don't worry about it Cullum." The young woman named Amie said. The Greycloak sergeant and Neverwinter member, could be heard questioning the name of the young man behind the counter. "They're with me." She went behind the counter toward the where the Hag-spawn was working, "Dad…" catching his attention, "these men are looking for Mum. Do you know where she may be?" To the men, the young woman's colorings now made sense.

The Hag-spawn looked up from his work to see his daughter in front of him then turned and faced the four men in the store. As his eyes traveled over them, a small secretive smile crept onto his handsome features. "Yes… I do believe they are here seeking your mother but not for the reason they believe they are." He turned to his son, "Cullum, please go and fetch your mother from the chapel and your sister from the river trapping line. She should be nearing the lake. Explain that we have guests that require their immediate attention. But don't elaborate."

"Of course father, as you wish." He was just about to open the door when he turned back towards his father. "Why don't you want mum to know that our guests are from Neverwinter, Father?"

"Because I intend to enjoy her reaction Son, to our guests in its pure form," The Hag-spawn replied with a full-blown mischievous grin on his face." His son left through the door shaking his head with a rueful smile across his features, knowing that his father knew more than he was letting on and up to something. The Hag-spawn then faced the four men again. "My wife will be here shortly; while we wait, I'll show you through to the sitting room to have a seat. It's a long way to anywhere from this village so I'm sure you could all do with taking a rest from your travels."

"Thank you, kindly, yes it has been a long trip." The Neverwinter Nine member responded. "We are hoping to find information about our current assignment in this town."

"And we have plenty of information on many things, here in this town" The Hag-spawn said while smiling secretively. "But I do not believe that it is information you will find here. I also believe that I know who you three…" He gestured to the three men "are but I think we will wait for my wife to join us before introductions are made." He then gave the men another of his mischievous grin.

Just as the men were trying to make sense of what the Hag-spawn had said a young woman similar to the first walked into the sitting room. "Dad, Cullum said we had guests."

"That we do Shandra darling," He gestured to the three men on the opposite couch. "Would you and Amie please organize a tea service but also bring some of your mother's strong mead. As I think, we may need it."

"Of course father." The two young woman chorused, and as they turned to head to the kitchen to comply with their father's wishes, their eyes landed on the men again and gave them blinding smiles that reminded the men of HER for a second time. Just as the young women emerged from the kitchen, both carrying laden-down tea trays, the hag-spawn's son from earlier returned and came through to the house from the shop followed by a petite Drow woman.

The Drow woman did not notice the guests on the couch or their ashen white faces frozen in shock and disbelief at her appearance while she walked up to her husband. "Cullum said we had guests that you seemed quite … giddy about Love, when I tried to ask him who they were or where they were from he said that you looked like you knew but kept it to yourself."

The Hag-spawn's eyes glittered with mischief "I could be wrong my love but by the look on their faces right now I do not believe I am correct. It would seem that your past has come knocking." He said while he grinned handsomely at his wife and gestured to the other couch.

At that, the Drow woman spun on her heal to face three very white shocked expressions. She turned back to her husband and poked him gentley in the chest to emphisise each word she spoke. "You are a cruel man Gannayev-of-dreams, to me and our guests!" the woman said in mock irritation, laughing softly. "I suggest we get them something stronger than Tea, they look like they have just seen a ghost."

"Already done, my Love."

It was the elf, that came back to at least some of his senses first and as she turned back around to address her old friends, a pair of lithe but strong arms engulfed her, and then heard a long relieved sigh "Hope". Without a word the elf laid his head on top of hers and hugged her tightly, as if to make sure she was real, not an apparition but fully whole, alive and breathing. After what seemed like hours to the two, but were only mere minutes, the elf pulled slightly away to take a long look at his long lost foster daughter. "I… I thought…"

"I know father. I know, but it's not the case." Hope sighed contentedly into her father's embrace for another minute then extracted herself from him to look at the two men and laughed at their still shocked expressions. "So no hug you two, not even a hello, how ya been? Bevil, Navelle?" The two men chuckled a little constrictively but raised themselves off the couch and embraced their dear old friend one after the other.

"Amie hun, could you go and fetch Safia and Okku for me please. They should be here I think.

"Of course Mum" and Amie hurried out the door.

"I believe some introductions are in order my Love." Hope's Husband said

"Not quite yet, we will wait for the others, Love."

Just as she finished, Bevil was on his feet with his eyes swirling with anger, irritation, guilt and sadness. "For the past twenty-five years we have been searching for any sign of you, dead or alive. No body found, no sign of anything one way or the other! Now we find you here almost hidden in plain view of Neverwinter… Why Hope… why didn't you return or give us some sign you were alive. You could have at least let someone, anyone know that you were breathing and well! What happened!

At Bevils angry outburst, Cullum was on his feet in a defensive posture in front of his mother, Shandra was staring at Bevil in confusion and disbelief to do anything and Hope's Husband caught her before she fell to her knees weeping and took her back to the other couch.

"That is enough, Bevil. I'm sure Hope has her reasons and I think I may know some of them." Navelle said, trying to placate the other human. He had been looking around the homely intimate room since they first entered it; he had taken in all the small little details that made this room scream, _"This is a home of love and understanding" _

Slowly Bevil sat down leaning his elbows on his knees with his head in his hands. He looked over to where Hope had buried her head into her husband's shoulder "I… I'm sorry Hope. I shouldn't have shouted like that to you."

Navelle then continued "And now that we have found her; we have the opportunity to catch up on each other's lives" he then looked at Hope, who had sat up slightly in her husband's embrace and was staring at her hands in her lap guiltily.

Just as both Hope and Bevil started to calm, Amie was back with a human woman that looked like she was a red wizard of Thay and a enormous white bear, who's coat seemed to shimmer in a rainbow of colours. The new arrivals took note of thick tension and of Hope being cradled by her husband.

The woman rushed to hopes side. "Hope, are you ok, what's going on?"

But it was the Bear that answered after eyeing the men on the opposite couch to his friends. "It looks like our friends have some guests Safia." He then looked towards Hope's Husband. "What has happened Gannayev?"

Slowly the Had-spawn raised his head up of his wife's and replied to the Bear. "Emotion's are just running a little high I'm afraid. It would seem that Hope's past from the sword coast has found her." After seeing the change in the bear's tense stance to defensive, Gann chuckled. "Calm down Okku, there is no danger and Hope and I have been expecting it since we came back to the sword coast. We knew one day she would run into them or they would find her."

Okku slowly surveyed the room of people and on deciding that perhaps it would be best to see how this played out, he lay on the floor in front of the couch that was occupied by his friends. Safia was now sitting beside Hope, still with her arm around her.

"Are you going to be ok hope?" Safia said quietly

After one last sniffle, Hope raised her head and nodded to the room.

After a moment to gather herself and her thoughts, Hope said. "Kids…" Gaining their attention "This is 'Sir' Navelle. He was my superior, colleague and very good friend." Gesturing to the man in the Neverwinter Nine tunic. "Beside him is my oldest friend from me childhood Bevil and this…" Hope pointed to her foster father and said, "Is Daeghun Farlong, my foster father, your grandfather." Hope then introduced her guests to her family, Okku and Safia. "This is Gannayev, my husband and Amie who is 18, Shandra who is 19 and Cullum who is 21 our children. This lovely lady next to me is Safia, a red wizard of Thay and Okku here is a Bear god from Rashamen."

After everyone had acknowledged everyone else, Navelle spoke. "It is fortuitous timing that we have found you when we have, Hope. Up until a few months ago, we were only searching for a sign of you, any sign one way or the other so we would at least know what happened to you. But now an… 'issue' has arisen that we at least need your input into, if nothing else."

Before anything else was said, Shandra spoke up. "I don't mean to be rude, But what in the nine hells are you all talking about!"

The wood elf stared at the young woman for a moment with a considering gaze then turned to his daughter with comprehension and understanding. "They don't know, do they Daughter? Nothing at all, you haven't told your children anything of your past?" he let out a long-suffering sigh. "I would have thought that you would learn from my mistakes Daughter not make them anew."

When Hope heard her Father, she looked up at him with a small guilty smile. "I guess you raised me to much like yourself Father. They know a little, a… censored version of how Gann and I met, of where I grew up that I worked for Neverwinter for a time…"

"But nothing of who we truly are, or been, No." added Gann quietly.

Hope placed a hand on Gann's thigh in comfort. "Though tell me Father, just how do you tell your children that sort of tale when their younger, and how do you know they are old enough to comprehend, understand and accept such a tale and knowledge." Hope sighed and took a deep calming breath before continuing. "Though I guess now that you three have found me, I have left it too late."

"No Daughter, you have not. If you were to tell them now, you have not left it too late. I was the one that left it too late. I should have told you everything about your mother I knew about her life and her death before West Harbor was attacked or at least strait after it was. Before I sent you to Neverwinter, before your difficult and life changing journey even began… but I wasn't strong enough, I was selfish and I could not bring myself to trudge up those painful memories."

"Father, you had no idea what was going to happen, you couldn't have seen the future. Your guilt it unwarranted, as you have taught me, 'with past time comes wisdom.' You're seeing things in hindsight and what if's. It's not your fault how my life turned out. Moreover, if I hadn't had my 'injury' when I was an infant there is a good chance that I wouldn't be here now sitting with Gann and our children talking to you. It is because of my 'injury' that I met Gann. It is also, not your fault that my mother and Shayla died Father." She saw his guilt and skeptical face and smiled a comforting smile. "From what you did tell me of my mother and from the friends of hers that I have found through the years there was nothing you could have done. No matter what, both women would have tried to help everyone and anyone that needed it during that time and not even you could have stopped them or convinced them otherwise." She begged him to believe her and find some sort of peace, or comfort in her words. She, not under any circumstance held him responsible for how her life had gone after leaving the village and she certainly didn't blame him for it. "But you are right about telling the kids now that they are older." She looked at Gann to see his encouraging smile and then back to her father. "Heh, you were always right growing up and you are still right in your advice now Father. But this is going to take some time… it is a very long tale and even longer than you three believe it is."

With knowing mischievousness and curiosity in his eyes, a small grin formed on Bevil's face towards his childhood friend. "Yes it will take awhile to tell. I'm not surprised in the least that there is more to it than what we…" he gestured to Navelle, Daeghun and himself "believe there to be, like how the two of you met," lifting a cheeky curious brow towards Hope. "And what it had to do with your injury, am I correct?"

Hope giggled. "More than you know my friend, more than you know"

Navelle then spoke up. "Your children will need to know of your life before this village if they are going to understand why we need your help Hope."

"You mentioned you were going to need my help earlier, Navelle. I haven't been in the loop for a long time; I'm not sure how much help I can be."

Navelle then showed a very unfamiliar emotion on his features. Hope could have sworn that he looked at her with apprehension and the minutest bit of fare, as if what he needed to tell her she would react badly too.

"You may not know this but you are the highest decorated. You had already gained several during the last few months but afterwards you gain another half dozen or so for all that, you did for Neverwinter and the Sword Coast."

Hope stared at him not comprehending what he was saying. "No, I didn't know. But what does that have to do with why you have increased your efforts to find me in the last few months."

"Lord Alagondar is ill. He has been purposefully poisoned with something that we can't identify. The priests and mages of Neverwinter are investigating every avenue for a cure but they are beginning to run out of options. Half of the Nine are out searching leads for a cause and the other half have been called into our mission is finding you."

Suddenly Hope's face was white and her eyes grew wide with shock and disbelief but before Hope could question Navelle, Gann did. "But that still doesn't explain why you need Hope's help."

"NO!" Hope said a little more venomously than she meant. "You can't be serious? There is no way! That can't be right. Surly there is someone else… someone higher than I am, I wasn't even there for long, I'd only just gained the status! You, Cecile, Darmon or anyone else must be ranked higher."

Bevil looked upon His dearest friend with understanding and sympathy. "Hope, I know since you left the village you have felt that, little by little your control over your own life was striped from you. I remember, and I've just now realized that was probably one of the reasons for you not reappearing after the last time we saw you. Moreover, from the look on both you and your husbands' faces, you lost more of your control during the time that you het each other. Nevertheless, Navelle is telling the truth but there are options. Also don't forget the clerics are still intent on finding a cure for him."

"What's he getting at mum?" asked a very confused Cullum.

Hope ignored the question from her son and looked directly into Navels eyes. "Bevil said there are options, what options, Navelle?"

"You have the option of abdicating and passing it over to the next inline."

"Which is?"

"Darmon. However, please Hope; hold off on any decisions now. I want you to seriously think this through and hear us out completely before you decide. Perhaps telling your children will help you gain some wisdom and perspective for either way." smiled Navelle. "They are going to need to know to understand the decision you make, no matter what it ends up being."

Cullum and the girls were starting to get frustrated with their confusion. "We still don't understand what is going on mum!" Cullum said with the irritation and frustration coming through loud and clear in his voice.

Hope turned to her children. "When the current Lord/Lady dies, the highest ranked member of the Neverwinter Nine takes the crown and become Lord or Lady."

Cullum was having difficulty comprehending what his mother had just divulged. Surely, she wasn't saying that SHE was a member and was the heist ranked. Shandra had her hand over her mouth is shock with her wide eyes trained on her mother but it was the youngest Aime who was in training to be a cleric of Lathander that asked the confirming question. "A… Are you saying that not only you are a member of the Neverwinter Nine, the elite guard of the crown but also its highest ranked officer?"

All Hope could do was nod to her children. She then took a calming breath. "That is what Navelle was telling me, yes." She looked over to Navelle, I'm going to need support and help to do this, I don't suppose you know the whereabouts of my old gang? I know of some who made it out and some who did not. I know that Bishop, Qara, Grobnar and…" stumbling over the next name initially. "Cas didn't make it." At the look of shock on the guest's faces, she explained. "I bumped into Ammon about a year after it happened and he said that he saw Grobnar's body laying crumpled over the constructs and that Cas was trying to hold open a door way for those who weren't dead to escape out of but saw it collapse over him after Sand got through. The other two… betrayed me."

"Everyone is at the keep except for Khelgar who is at the Ironfist clan hold" Everyone decided to make the keep or a village in the surrounding area their home." Bevil informed Hope.

Hope tuned to look at her husband. "Well you always told me that you would love to see the keep one day, looks like now seems like a good time. Are you two in?" She asked looking at Safia and Okku.

The great bear god stood and stretched before answering. "You know that I will follow you anywhere you go little one."

"and you Safia?"

"I've been with you this long my friend, I'll be with you." Safia said while they smiled and nodded to her friend.

"I believe we need to take a trip Love."

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><p><strong>Hope you enjoyed reading it. Don't be afraid to leave a review, good or bad. I'm a fan of both :P<br>~Becky Dale**


	2. Chapter 2: Looking back to move forward

**Disclaimer: I am an artist, writer, Gamer and a single Mother. I DO NOT create or produce games. I AM NOT BIOWARE. All Characters but Hope and her kids are NOT mine.**

**Chapter 2: Looking back to move forward.**

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><p>A week after Navelle, Bevil and Daeghun found Hope and her family they made it to Crossroad Keep. Many of the older Greycloaks looked ready to fall over out of the shock of seeing Hope. When they reached the Castle and entered the main hall Hope saw Kana. She was busy talking to Light-of-heaven and Katriona. Hope cleared her through loudly and the three women looked over to where Hope and her group were standing.<p>

Before any of the women could say anything Bevil stepped forward, wrapping Kana around the waist from the back. "Look who I stumbled upon in the mare Hunny."

Hope raised an inquisitive brow at her old Lieutenant and Bevil. Bevil chuckled. "yes, Hope, I was finally able to reign the stubborn but wonderful Kana.

"Kni… Knight-Captain. How, where, when…?

Hope laughed at the normally eloquent Lieutenant, stumbling over her words. "It's a long story and the reason that we are here." She gestured at those that stood behind her.

"I would like you three to join us if you would be willing and can spare a bit of time."

Katriona stepped forward and hugged Hope. "I always believed you were alive." Then she stood strait and stared intently into Hope's eyes. "That is why they are all here, why your old gang is all here. They said they had been asked to meet here today in the dining hall to meet with a very important guest to the keep."

Slowly Hope nodded at her friend. "Yes, I got Navelle to ask them all here to see me." Hope turned to the group behind her and grinned. "I think I still remember where the dining hall is," laughing all the way there.

There they were just like old times, sitting around the scrubbed wooden table in the dining hall talking and joking while waiting for her to turn up to start the meeting about the next crazy mission they were to go on. This time was different though.

They didn't know who and they didn't know why it was so important that they be here but it was good to be in the company of old friends after so long. They'd kept in touch for the most part and all tried to attended the annual memorial every year for HER but they had not sat down at the table in the dining hall and just talked like this in years. There was something comforting about it. Something that made them feel content but they all knew that there were a few key people missing from the group, their friend, their leader, their captain and the always loyal, reliable, stoic paladin that was always by her side protecting her, defending her… loving her.

She stood in the doorway with her family, Navelle and Bevil, Safiya and Okku along with the two sergeants and her old Lieutenant watching the group of old friends with a content smile on her face. Listening to them talking and reminiscing about the old days when she heard Neeshka say while trying to hold back laughter "not to mention the time she went hunting with Grobbie, they both ended up coming back soaking wet and covered in some sort slime."

"I should never have trusted Grobbie when he told me that the best part of the Elephant toad was the mucus gland. The damn creature jumped into the lake just as I pounced for it." Hope commented and giggled without thinking while reminiscing.

Everyone's heads twisted around so quickly that they could have come off without much more help. Hope walked into the room completely now with a wide grin on her face then turned to Gann. "You would think my old friends had seen a ghost love."

He burst into laughter "I believe they think they have, my Love."

Slowly Neeshka got up from her seat, rounded the table and came to stand right in front of her long lost friend, studying Hopes face. "Is it really you Hope? Or, are we all seeing the same hallucination?

Hope wound herself around the happily upset tiefling. "It's really me Neesh. Who else would know what happened that day I was stupid enough to believe Grobbie for the hundredth time?"

Neeshka tried to laugh at Hopes comment but it came out more as a watery gurgle because of the tears blinding her and rolling down her cheeks. As Neeshka let go of Hope she tuned to Navelle and gave him a half hearted slap across his chest. Navelle just gave her his 'I'm the most innocent man in the world' grin. "How could you keep this from ME? Your own wife?" The words were hardly out of her mouth when she heard Hope gasp. "Apparently it wasn't the only thing you haven't told someone" giggled Neeshka.

Hope had known that her tiefling friend had 'liked' Navelle from the first time they met but had no idea that anything had come from it. "When did this happen?

Neeshka giggled again. "Surprisingly, about a week before we all tried to commit suicide."

"You mean before we went to possibly our deaths, you two got together and you didn't tell me Neesh?" Hope said in mock anger but her face was alight with joy and happiness for her two friends.

Hope guided the group around her to the empty chairs at the table and as those moving to the table sat down; Hope noticed that her father had sat next to Elanee. Elanee saw Hope's curious glance with a smile and mouthed to Hope "Later".

Zhjaeve then said with a straight face, in one of her irregular moments of wit. "Know, that we always… Hoped for you to be alive and come back to us one day." Hope couldn't help but grin and Zhjaeve's attempt to lift some of the shock that was still swirling in the room.

Hope stood from her chair and watched as all eyes went straight to her just like they use to, during a briefing for a mission in the old days. "Before I explain why I am here and why I wanted you all to meet me here I should probably make introductions." Hope gestured to those who came with her. She then went round the table introducing everyone.

"Navelle, Bevil and Father finally found me and asked for my help with an issue that concerns Lord Nasher, his illness and I. But before I can even consider anything to do with that, my children need to know my past, our past." At the shocked looks of her friends, she smiled sadly. "As I said to my father the day they found my family and me, how do you tell your children such a tale when they are young? I cannot do this by myself; I need you, my friends to help with the telling, not just because a lot of it is a blur of events but for the support as well."

"You know that we would do anything you ever asked of us Lass." Khelgar replied.

Sand looked directly to Navelle when he spoke. "News of his illness has of course reached the keep and the surrounding lands, but I have also heard that it is not a natural illness." All his focused on Navelle.

"You are correct Sand, we have the priests and mages all working on a cure but we still need to make preparations for if they are unsuccessful."

Neeshka looked at her husband. "What does that mean Hun"

"We need to know if the next in line will take up the crown or pass it on. The law says that the highest decorated of the Neverwinter Nine is the next in line for lordship."

"And who IS the next in line Navelle" Khelgar asked.

Cullum answered, shocking everyone including his mother. "They think Mum is."

Still looking at Hope's son, Khelgar asked. "Is the Lad right Navelle?"

"The reason why you're all here is to help Hope make that decision."

Cullum suddenly stood up. "I still don't fully believe any of this. How is that possible, sure, she was an adventurer, as was dad but a member of the Neverwinter Nine and next in line to the lordship? You have to be kidding?"

"I see that keeping things inside and from your children is a family trait Hope" Elanee said with a sad knowing smile.

Gann placed a hand on his son's shoulder. "Son, sit and listen please." He urged his son to listen. "This is why we are here, why you are here and why all your mother's old friends are here. For you and your sisters to understand what is happening now and what may happen in the future you need to know what happened in her past, our past." He gestured around the table at everyone there. "We have all known your mother for a very long time; all have traveled with her at one point or another."

As Cullum sat down Shandra said "Dad's right Cullum. Plus, we have always wanted to know and now they are actually going to tell us," she said giddily. After a moment Gann stood.

"This is the tale of a misunderstood girl, an unconventional adventurer, a reluctant hero, a cursed soul, a strong willed woman and the most beautiful being I've ever known, inside and out, except maybe for Myself" As Gann said this Hope could not help but laugh at her husband. Even after all these years, he had not lost his love for drama, sarcasm or his own ego. "This is the tale of my wife and your mother." Gann said dramatically. "Though like Hope has previously said, we are going to need some help telling it." Gann looked around the full room, seeing them acknowledge his request.

"Then we will need to start with me." Daeghun said, shocking everyone as he spoke up. "Because it does not start the year your mother left West Harbor to go to Neverwinter but the year she was born, the first attack on West Harbor."

With a concerned look on her face but almost undistinguishable pride in her eyes at her father's gesture, "Father, you don't have to do this."

"Yes, I Believe I do, Hope. I thank you for your concern but how will your children, my grandchildren understand anything of what anyone says here unless they understand the history of it, unless they understand where it all started. And how will they ever be able to respect me as their grandfather if I do not show them that I can do the right thing… if only eventually." He said while staring intensely into his daughter's eyes. He looked back across the table to his daughter's children. "For many years, my wife and I travelled with your grandmother and a few others. However, as the years went on that life grew tiresome for my Shayla and me. We were tired of losing those close to us and tired of the constant danger we were putting ourselves into, My Shayla had friends in West Harbor; we had visited the small village many times over the years and found it to be quite suitable to settle down there. There was plenty of land to have for our own and plenty of game in the area; we knew we could make a good life in the village."

"Your grandmother however was spun off a different silk, the call of adventure and the longing to always be moving was strong with her. She continued to travel up and down the sword coast and beyond sometimes. Every couple of years; she would come back to West Harbor to visit us. The last time she came to West Harbor, she was heavy with child though, with your mother. She did not confide about the father to me – she may have to Shayla," He looked down for a moment and took in a calming breath. "But I will never know. – And where I come from, we do not pry about such things. If she wanted to share that with me then she would in her own time. When your mother was born, it was clear that whoever her father was that he had been a drow just as your grandmother was."

Hope watched her father as he was telling the story of her mother, she could see the pain, sadness, regret, guilt and self-loathing but there was something else there too… She couldn't quite pin point what it was but it comforted here somehow.

"Your grandmother had asked Shayla shortly after your mother was born that if anything were to happen to her that Shayla would care for your mother. Being the good friend that Shayla was to your grandmother, she accepted without hesitation."

"Your grandmother was a very unusual woman. She may have been drow and she kept some of her beliefs from that society but she was far from your typical drow. She was a loyal and good friend if you were able to get that close to her and she was as compassionate as anyone I have ever known, though I guess that is not too surprising given that she was a cleric of Eilistraee. At first the village was not sure what to make of her, they were extremely wary of her and some were even out right afraid or angry of her living and working in the village. As they saw her with Shayla around town and after the incident of treating and caring for half the village when an illness swept through that winter, they began to accept her."

It was then that Hope recognized what was happening to her father as he told the store in its fullness. There was almost a sense of peace washing through his features and frame as he was speaking. As if telling this story in its fullness was washing out a poison that had been festering there.

As Daeghun took a breath in his telling, Elanee spoke "I remember my mission to watch her for the circle. The circle was worried about having a Drow so close to the lands we tended. However, the more I observed her the more I believed she was not what the stories described, she did not act as Drow did and the fact she was staying with elven cousins was a testament to that. That they could each put old prejudices' aside and live together harmoniously was extraordinary."

"So it was not just me that you watched old friend?" Hope said cheekily.

"It was because of that mission that after she died I felt compelled to watch you, even against the orders of the elders." Elanee smiled. "I had to see if nature or environment would be prominent."

Gann snorted. "In other words you wanted to know if my wife was inherently evil or if that is taught to them in their society."

Elanee flushed. However, Neeshka spoke up. "My, he is blunt Hope. Quite the opposite, yes?"

"Not as opposite as much as you might think Neesh." Hope giggled while patting her husband on the forearm.

Daeghun cleared his throat to gain everyone's attention. "You, Hope, were only six months old when the attack occurred, though it was not an attack on West Harbor itself. West Harbor was just ill fated to be caught up in a battle of the war that was being played out in the shadows. The first Shadow war was terrible; thousands had been killed in that war, peasant, noble and everyone in-between. In addition, West Harbor was caught in the middle of the final three-way battle between the Shadow, demons and the Neverwinter Army. The militia and anyone else that wanted to help evacuated the village as soon as we saw them converging on the village. My Shayla being a paladin and your grandmother being a cleric were among the first to offer their services to help evacuate the village, as was I. It wasn't till I looked around later after I thought the last had been evacuated that I realized that my Shayla and your grandmother were NOT there, I knew I couldn't go looking for them, it was suicide to try. By this time the whole village was consumed by the battle between the three sides, and when they did not turn up during or after the battle had finished I knew something had happened to them."

Hope could see the amount of restraint and control it was taking her father to recall these painful memories without falling apart and it tore at her heart and soul to see this man in such pain. Though seeing Elanee place her arms around him for comfort and encouragement lit a spark of joy in her heart for the pair. "When it was safe to return to the village… there was no village, or at least not a recognizable village. I went directly to our home on the edge of the village and to this day, I do not understand how it could have kept standing. I worked my way through the house and found my wife at the bottom of the stairs leading to the second floor. When I saw her, I… took her into my arms. I do not remember collapsing to the floor with her but I must have because when I heard cries coming from up the stairs I had to lift myself up off the floor.

I found your grandmother in the doorway to her and your mother's room. I stepped over her trying to discern where the cries were coming from but then they were behind me. I knelt down to have a closer look at your grandmother's body and saw there, cradled in her arms was your mother, crying. Somehow, a piece of debris had come through a window, through your grandmothers back and into your mother's chest. Your grandmother was dead but your mother, while injured severely was at least alive for the mean time. If nothing else, getting her seen too and caring for her - as I was all she had left – got me through the following days and months. It gave me something other than my own grief to focus on. The injury did not take long to close and heal. In fact it healed remarkably quickly."

He looked to his daughter and smiled a sad smile. "It may not have seemed it when you were a child but you were the one thing that kept me sane, kept me moving forward. I know I was not there how I probably should have been a lot of the time but that does not mean I did not care for you or come to love you as my own."

After hearing her father's confession and actually vocalize, what she had subconsciously always known but had never heard from him brought Hope to the brink of tears. She got up out of her chair and threw her arms around her father "I know father, somehow I've always had known"

The whole room was thick with the suffocating feeling and silence that follows long overdue confessions and acceptance.

"I think perhaps it's time for a break." Gann said quietly while his eyes were still on his wife and father-in-law.

* * *

><p>After an hour or so they were all back in the dining hall ready to continue and while they seated themselves around the table Shandra stood.<p>

"We…" gesturing towards herself and her siblings, "were going over everything that had been said before and last week at home during the break. We want to thank you grandfather for you telling your story. It made us realize who mum is the way she is about some things. We could not imagine how painful that was for you, to tell us."

Aime and Cullum stood with their sister but Aime was the one who continued. "Mum has always taught us NEVER to take anything for granted and always live for the moment because it will not come again and you may miss important events or people if you look too far back or too far forward. We now understand where some of that has come from."

Daeghun looked up into his daughter's, children's faces but especially of the girls. – They look so much like how Hope had at their ages – and saw nothing but complete understanding and acceptance from them. It was almost as if Hope herself was saying this to him, it gave him a since of peace that he wasn't sure he deserved but would willingly accept it from these three young people, so full of life and love and understanding. "It was long overdue for her and you to know what I knew. Telling it has lifted a weight from me that I have been carrying around for far too many years. As elves and as part hag-spawn…" He glance over at his daughters husband and gave the man an appreciative quirk of his lips and nod of his head, "you will live for several centuries in this world and you do not want to have such burdens on your heart for that long. I hope my story and the others that you will be told here by your mother's friends will teach you another lesson, one that I have not fully accomplished and succeeded at but am working on it with a little help…" he smiled lovingly at Elanee before continuing. "Your mother on the other hand has succeeded in learning this lesson with the help of your father. Do not keep things to yourself. Talk to people; share what you know, no matter how painful it may be. Let at least one person know otherwise it will eat at you and consume you till there is only a shell of your former self left with a festering poison ready to seep into every facet of your life."

Everyone including the three young people acknowledged this pearl of wisdom readily from the Daeghun as none of them wanted to go through what he had over the years, keeping such pain inside, that only lead to you torturing yourself and making yourself miserable. With the amount, that Daeghun had kept to himself for some many years you would think it would have split him down the middle.

Bevil now stood. "I think we all appreciate what you have said Daeghun and it is a lesson that we all need to make sure to learn no matter who, what or how old we are." Bevil then took a deep breath and raised a grin onto his face. He looked over to Hope with his eyes full of glee and mischief. "Now it is time for us to continue the story, and if you don't mind Hope, I think I will start. I'm sure your husband and children would like to know how you were as a child."

She grinned back at her old friend. "As long as you leave any excessive humiliating anecdotes to yourself Bevil"

Chucking he started "When people saw her, for the first time…"

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><p><strong>Hope you enjoyed reading it. Don't be afraid to leave a review, good or bad. I'm a fan of both :P<strong>

**~Becky Dale**


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